MYROXYLON PERUIFERUM. ORD. XXV. Lomentacex. 49 
posite, petiolate, ovate, lanceolate, with the apex somewhat obtuse and 
emarginate, entire, very smooth, shining; the midrib on the under surface 
pubescent: the common petiole is round and pubescent: the leaflets vary in 
number, from two to four or five pairs; the flowers are produced on axillary 
erect racemes, longer than the leaves: the peduncles are slender, roundish, 
and pubescent; each accompanied by a very small, erect, ovate, concave 
bractea: the pedicels are erect: the calyzx is bell-shaped, dark green, and 
divided into five small, nearly equal, segments; but one of them so far 
separated, as to be found under the germen: the corolla consists of five 
white petals, four of which are narrow, equal, lanceolate, and larger than 
the calyx ; the fifth reflexed, broad, and more than double the size of the 
others; stamens inclined, and’ inserted into the calyx, bearing elongated, 
sharp-pointed, suleated anthers: the germen is oblong, pedicellated: the 
style short, subulate, crooked, and crowned with a simple stigma: the peri-. 
carp is of a straw colour, club-shaped, somewhat curved and pendulous, 
globular near the top, and terminated by the curved style: in the cell formed 
at the curved part, it contains a single seed, which is crescent-shaped, and 
projects from the cell. (a) the capsule; (b) the calyx and germen; (c) an 
anther. 
The Peruvian Balsam-tree is a native of South America; inhabiting the 
warmer regions of that continent; growing on the mountains of Panatalmas, 
in the forests of Paxaten, Muna, Cuchero, and Puzuzu, and in some of the 
warm situations near the river Marafion; flowering from August to Sep- 
tember. This tree was first discovered by Mutis, about the year 1781, who 
sent a specimen of it, both in fruit and flower, to the younger Linneus. The 
natives inhabiting the countries where this tree grows, call it Quinquino ; 
they use the bark as a perfume. The Peruvian Balsam and the Balsam of 
Tolu of the shops, are both the product of this tree: formerly, it was sup- 
_posed that the latter balsam was the product of a different tree from that 
which yields the former, but it has been ascertained that both balsams are 
the produce of the Myroaylon Peruiferum. We are told by Ruiz, that the 
balsam is procured by incision at the beginning of the spring, when the 
showers are frequent, short, and gentle: it is collected into bottles, where it 
keeps liquid for some years, in which state it is called white liquid balsam. 
But when the Indians deposit the liquid in mats or calabashes, which is 
commonly done in Carthagena and in the mountains of Tolu, after some 
VoL. 
